Antigenic relationships of hantavirus strains analysed by monoclonal antibodies

Abstract

The antigenic relationships among 71 hantavirus strains, isolated from rodent species or humans in several geographic regions, were examined by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using human patient sera and a panel of 22 monoclonal antibodies prepared against Hantaan, Seoul, and Puumala viruses. The study included virus strains, mainly from the former USSR, for which little or no serological data were available. Fifty-nine of the 71 isolates could be placed into five antigenic groups of hantaviruses, Hantaan (HTN), Puumala (PUU), Seoul (SEO), Prospect Hill (PH), Dobrava/Belgrade (DOB). Twelve isolates were found antigenically closely related to, but distinct from, HTN (2 strains), PUU (4 strains) and PH (6 strains), respectively. The antigenic characteristics of these 12 isolates suggested two supplementary antigenic subgroups of HTN, one of PUU, and two of PH. The two antigenic subgroups of HTN included strains isolated in the Far-East of Russia. The PUU subgroup included strains isolated in European Russia as well as strains isolated in Far-Eastern Russia. The PH group comprised two subgroups, both represented by strains isolated from M. fortis in Far-Eastern Russia. The results showed that the PUU and PH antigenic groups are more complex than previously known and that PH-like virus strains isolated in Russia are antigenically more closely related to PUU virus when compared to prototype PH virus isolated in the USA.

Development of Novel Immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM Enzyme Immunoassays Based on Recombinant Puumala and Dobrava Hantavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins

“…N protein-specific antibodies induced by natural infection in human and experimental infections and immunizations in rodents have been found to be highly cross-reactive between different hantaviruses (9,11,12,14,37). However, we observed that 2 and 1 out of 23 acute-phase sera from DOBV-infected patients reacted exclusively with the IgM and IgA ELISA, respectively, based on the DOBV rN protein but were not detected by use of the related HTNV rN protein.…”

Distribution and genetic heterogeneity of Puumala virus in Sweden

“…The reactivities of the anti-mouse conjugates to immunoglobulins from different rodent species were determined by titration. A pool of bank vole monoclonal antibodies (MAb; 1C12, 2E12 and 4C3), directed to epitopes conserved in the different hantaviruses, was used as a positive, internal control Dzagurova et al, 1995).…”

Human recombinant Puumala virus antibodies: cross-reaction with other hantaviruses and use in diagnostics.

“…This Fab identified a novel epitope designated G2c which is shared by PUU and KBR, but not PH. KBR is a recently discovered hantavirus isolated from Microtus fortis in far-eastern Russia and has been identified as distinct but closely related to PH and PUU on the basis of serological data and genetic analysis (Dzagurova et al, 1995 ;Ho$ rling et al, 1996). Since PUU is pathogenic to humans, in contrast to PH, further characterization of such epitopes may give clues to hantavirus pathogenicity.…”